​Jonathan Ornelas opted out of his minor league contract with the New York Yankees, Francys Romero reported on Twitter/X on July 16.Ornelas, 26, is slashing .299/.362/.480 with 13 doubles, nine home runs and 39 RBIs for the Scranton Wilkes/Barre RailRiders, the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMORE: Former Mets outfielder, reality show contestant, ‘trending toward’ retirementOrnelas is a veteran of three MLB seasons with the Texas Rangers (2023-25) and Atlanta Braves (2025). He’s a career .208/.263/.245 hitter with experience at four different positions.A former third-round draft pick by the Rangers (2018), Ornelas was traded by Texas to Atlanta for cash in May 2025. He became a free agent at the end of last season. The Yankees signed Ornelas to a minor league deal in November 2025.In 13 spring training games, Ornelas slashed .280/.333/.440 but could not crack the Opening Day roster.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMORE: Mike Tyson might not know who Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani isOrnelas struggled to handle International League pitching in 2025, slashing .196/.295/.303 with the Braves’ and Rangers’ affiliates.Yet by the end of April, Ornelas had a 1.017 OPS for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He kept up his versatility in the field, playing second base, third base and shortstop while also seeing time in left field.MORE: Reviews of Netflix’s Home Run Derby telecast are one-sidedMore to come on this story.